Journey Into Discipleship (Pt. 1)

Real Discipleship

As a boy Michelangelo presented himself to a master sculptor to be his pupil. The old man said, “This will take all your life.” Michelangelo replied, “What else is life for?”

Michelangelo knew that for life to have real meaning one must be committed to something or someone will live an empty life. However, the happiest people in the world are those who have committed their lives to something.

Take on Jesus’ Yoke

Matthew 11:29 “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.”

Matthew 16:24 “Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.”

The word “learn” comes from the Greek word “Mathetes” Which means “To gain knowledge or skill”and comes from the root word “Math” which means “Thought accompanied by endeavor”

Knowing a deeper definition of the word “learn” what was Jesus seeming to emphasize here?

To be committed to Jesus and continue to learn about him and from him

Jesus gave us to great symbols of commitment

The Cross representing submission.

The Yoke representing service.

BOTH REPRESENT COMMITMENT

IT IS ONLY WHEN WE TAKE UP THE CROSS AND THE YOKE TOGETHER DO WE SEE REAL DISCIPLESHIP.

Continuing in the Word

John 8:31 “Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;”

Becoming a real disciple of Jesus is much like getting married. It is easy to go through the ceremony but there is much more to marriage than the ceremony. marriage is a commitment for life, followed by a continuing relationship.

How does REAL DISCIPLESHIP compare to marriage?

It begins with a commitment that continues for a lifetime.

What does it mean to “continue in my word”, as Jesus said?

To continue to learn and live the Word of God as long as you have breath.

The purpose of the Word of God is not to fill our heads with knowledge to impress people but the real purpose is to change our lives.

Choosing To Love

John 13:34–35 “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.”

We are commanded to LOVE.

The reason Jesus commands us to do something is because we have a choice to do it or to not do it.

We are not helpless victims of our emotions.

Just because you dress modest, go to church, or say that you are a Christian DOESN’T show people that your are a disciple of Christ.

LOVING PEOPLE DOES

Francis Shaeffer said, “When Jesus said , By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples…, He gave the world the right to judge us by our love.”

Living a Cleansed Life

God will not use or bless a disciple who has unconfessed sin in his or her life.

According to the God, there are two kinds of Christians: spiritual and carnal

Carnal

1 Corinthians 3:1–3 “And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?”

Spiritual

Galatians 6:1–2 “Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.”

Ephesians 4:32 “And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.”

If you are not living a victorious, abundant Christian life, it may be because you are carnal Christian.

REAL DISCIPLESHIP takes the believer out of the carnal and into the spiritual.

Surrendering to the Lordship of Jesus Christ

In Luke 14:25-35 we find a key teaching on the disciples of Jesus Christ. Three times Jesus uses “cannot be my disciple”.

Luke 14:26 “If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.”

When Jesus says “hate” here he is making a comparison of what our love should be for him compared to the love we have towards our parents. Our love for our parents should look like hate compared to our love for God.

Jesus must be Lord of all, or He is not Lord at all.

Luke 14:27 “And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.”

During a Roman crucifixion the criminal was often forced to carry his cross to the site of crucifixion. This was to show a public admission of submission to the authority and laws of Rome.

Notice Jesus didn’t say “be nailed to your cross” but “bear or take up” your cross.

submit to Christ. your cross is whatever makes it difficult for you to follow Christ.

Luke 14:33 “So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.”

Disciple ship is costly. But not to follow Christ is even more costly.

John 3:36 “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.”

Conclusion

Jesus concludes his message with an illustration of salt

Lack of commitment to Jesus Christ is like salt without its flavor: without it you and be a REAL DISCIPLE.

Luke 9:62 “And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”

We need to be committed to Jesus Christ to be a REAL DISCIPLE.